


Larp Camp

by godtrash



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Fantasy AU, Gen, LARPing, M/M, dnd ass bull shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 13:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17387207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godtrash/pseuds/godtrash
Summary: Atobe gets wind of a club a few of the second years have started, and butts his way as he is wont to do. Naturally, this leads to a disaster of dimensional proportions where a group of hapless middle schoolers are thrown into a fantastical universe of warring kingdoms and forced to face their greatest and worst enemies yet - each other.





	Larp Camp

“Larp.” It was the stupidest word he’d ever heard in his life, and it was about to change his life forever.

A bunch of those little second-year brats were going on and on about some club they’d started, where they fashioned themselves ridiculous costumes and ran around their backyards on weekends slapping each other with foam weaponry they bought from the 100 yen shop. Normally the childish antics of a bunch of brats wouldn’t concern Atobe, except that these were the future captains of their respective tennis teams and therefore the future of middle school tennis and the enduring legacies left by their beloved third year graduates. 

He couldn’t let Hiyoshi make Hyotei look a fool, and therefore whatever this new and exciting way to nerd it up outdoors had to become a competition. Everything had to be, when you were young and manly and had something to prove in a middle school sports tournament. 

He tried to explain this to Hiyoshi one afternoon after tennis practice having cornered the future captain in the locker room like an agitated racoon trapped in his garage. He insisted that Hiyoshi had to win at this “Lorp” thing no matter the costs. 

“That’s not really the point.” Hiyoshi said, and Atobe could have fainted dead away on the spot. “But I can tell you I haven’t lost a fight yet, so you shouldn’t worry about being shamed.”

“Hiyoshi, of course I have complete faith in you.” He said, clapping his hand firmly on his junior’s shoulder like an overbearing stage mom. “But how does this help us win nationals? How does this help Hyotei stay ahead of the game?”

Hiyoshi shrugged his hand off and rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t understand, Atobe-buchou, not unless you came to one of our events.”

“Don’t you think I have better things to do then watch a bunch of manchildren embarrass themselves with pretend games?” He said, but then thought about it. “Events, now is it? I thought it was just a couple of juniors running in circles with sticks.”

“Well, it is.” Hiyoshi admitted. “But there’s a lot more of us now that Kirihara got a bunch more guys involved. There’s even some third years who were interested in joining.” 

“That can’t be. It better not be anyone from Hyotei joining in this foolishness. They know very well tennis is their focus, as it should be yours.”

“Actually, Jirou-senpai sounded really excited to join in. And Kabaji offered to help make costumes, cut down on the costs of buying stuff. It’s really a fun group activity and a break from tennis.”

“Why would you need a break from tennis?” Atobe snapped.

“It’s a lot sometimes, you know? Not that we don’t all love and devote our young lives to tennis,” Hiyoshi said hastily. “Besides, a lot of the combat and stuff we do keeps us in shape and good practice for tennis anyway. It’s not like there’s a huge difference between swinging a racquet and a sword, after all.”

“As much as I hate to say it, you may be onto something there.” Atobe said, mostly because he had always wanted to swing a sword around and this seemed as good an excuse as any. 

“All right. The magnanimous Atobe-sama will come see your ‘lorp.’ And he will judge for himself the benefits of your little playhouse drama.”

“First of all, it’s ‘larp.’ And secondly, if you’re going to speak in third person the whole time, you might as well construct a character for the game.”

“I am only there to observe.” Atobe said, folding his hands primly.

“Right. Well a couple of the guys did have an Ice King written in the lore we put together, if you have no interest though-”

“Make it Ice Emperor, and I will consider it.”

“I’ll get the character sheets.” said Hiyoshi dryly.

And that’s how Atobe Keigo was set to experience the world of live action roleplaying for the first time, and thus marked the beginning of the end for all of the middle school tennis world which would soon be dragged into his machinations. 

-

“Who made your armor? Your grandmother?”

“Actually, yeah.” Kirihara said, confused. He looked down at the plastic and styrofoam construct splattered with black and gold paint that encased his body. He thought his armor was pretty rad. 

“Oh.” Atobe frowned, and settled back into the lawn chair that had been dragged out expressly for his use. Kabaji hovered around nearby, knitting needles out, for what nefarious purpose, Atobe couldn’t say. He was deadly with those things, he’d have you in a scarf and mittens before you could blink. 

The others were sort of standing around awkwardly, not having expected an audience today. Even though Hiyoshi had put it in the group text that Atobe would be coming, most of them thought that was a very funny joke, one of the first he’d ever successfully told. 

“Atobe-buchou, do you remember your part?” 

“Of course.” Atobe replied, sunglasses on, sipping lemonade, headphones in. 

Hiyoshi sighed a little, made a hand gesture that amounted to ‘just ignore him’ and they went about their latest part in the long epic they had constructed over word documents and scribbled out character sheets.

It was something about a quest to find some evil wizard who had wronged all the party members, who consisted of Kirihara, a badass knight, Hiyoshi, a quick-witted monk, Kamio, a user of untold black magicks, Momo, an obnoxious paladin, and to Atobe’s horror - Ootori, the group’s only cleric and apologetic healer. Jirou was off to the side but hadn’t come up with a character like Hiyoshi had instructed him, so he was just doing foley work and jumping around with excitement like a cocker spaniel that had been indoors for too long. Apparently Zaizen had also been dragged into this mess of a group but he said he was updating his blog and couldn’t make it today.

“And it’s the final showdown and everything!” Momo howled when he learned of this grave news. “It can’t be helped. You know how he is.” Kamio shrugged. Zaizen was the party’s only rogue. Atobe didn’t know what any of this meant but it seemed important for some reason. He didn’t care, being the Ice Emperor, he had no duties besides waiting in the wings for the boss to get taken out so he could swoop in and be the real secret boss. This was a special surprise Hiyoshi had planned for his team members. There was a second part to this surprise that was sure to shock them, and Atobe got himself worked up in an evil little chuckle just thinking about it. Then he realized everyone was staring at him.

“Proceed.” He said smoothly.

He caught someone muttering weirdo under their breath and was pretty sure it was either Momoshiro or Kamio, and so decided he’d have to punish them both later to be sure. 

The fight went on. Playing the part of the terrible wizard that had done them all so dirty was Jirou, since there wasn’t anyone else. He had a fuzzy blanket draped over his shoulders like a cape and wore a pointy cap that looked more like a dunce cap than anything else, Atobe thought. 

He hopped and scrambled behind trees as they all took turns swinging at him with plastic swords and axes and shields fashioned from circular sleds and pool noodles that were cut until they resembled some kind of spear. It was all very silly and overdramatic, much like everything in the world of middle school tennis. The events seem to come to climax as Kamio landed the final blow, waving a gnarled old walking stick around and chanting nonsense that proclaimed to be magic spells as Jirou suddenly yelped and fell down on the ground.

“You’re HP’s not at zero yet.” Hiyoshi said, checking a sheet.

“Zero, shmero.” Atobe said, yanking the sheet out of his junior’s hands and tossing it over his shoulder. It didn’t go very far. Atobe got up, swinging one leg dramatically over the other and tossed his sunglasses aside.

“Can we stop littering?” Ootori pleaded in the background to deaf ears. 

“This is shameful.” Atobe announced, standing in front of them. “A pitiful effort. I expected a real show, some pizazz, some sport, - well. I’m not going to lie to all of you, I expected a bunch of babies jumping around and that’s what I got. But you could do so much better! You could join me, the Ice Emperor Atobe, and see what this Lorp thing could truly become!”

They all blinked at hm slowly, seemingly unsure if he was in character or not.

“I will join you.” Hiyoshi said, after a moment, stumbling to bow down at his feet and trying not to grit his teeth as he did so. 

“What? You’re betraying us to this - Ice Clown?” Kirihara demanded.

“Ice Emperor.” Atobe corrected smoothly.

“Whatever!” Kirihara tossed his sword on the ground, where it bounced up and smacked him in the face. After he finished whining about that Ootori scrambled over to where Atobe was. “If I might, pledge myself, Atobe-san-”

“Oh, come on!” Momo shouted. “Is that how it’s gonna be? I thought we were leaving behind tennis teams and rivalries with this.” 

“Plus, the numbers are really unfair.” Kamio said, arms folded.

“Now, now.” Atobe said. “Anyone is welcome on my team. The winning team. There are no team colors here except the color of victory.”

“Which is?”

“Gold.”

“I much prefer silver.” Ootori admitted.  
“What about purple?” Kamio offered.

“No. Shut up. It’s gold. Listen to me. I will give you a Lorp experience unlike anything you dreamed possible. The foam swords, the backyard misadventures, it’s a thing of the past. For I have come to offer a brave new world - a world of experiencing all natural, dangerous, real life survival and combat the way it was meant to be - At camp.”

“Camp? Like training camp?”

“This is not a mere training exercise, Momoshiro. This is the real deal. If you and your brethren are not cowards, you will recruit as many peers as possible and come to Atobe Corp’s Lorp Camp!”

“Wait, your dad is like paying for this? Does he know about this?” Atobe ignored this.

“Atobe Corp Lorp Corp.” Kamio giggled, and Atobe looked like he was about to have a fit.

“I’ve said what I needed to say. You can remain losers, pitiful in your granny costumes, or you can join me.”

“Aren’t you the ultimate evil of the land though?” Kirihara wondered.

“That’s what they want you to think.” Atobe hissed. “Here are the parental permission forms. Remember that we aren’t liable for any injury or permanent psyche damage, yadda, yadda, yadda, just show up at Hyotei’s front gate on the date marked on your slips if you aren’t cowards. That is all.”

And he swept off like some grand migratory bird, lemonade still in hand.

“Huh.” Kirihara peered at the form. “No cost to the participant. Meals included. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.”

“Was this your plan all along?” Momo asked Hiyoshi. “Bring that guy into it and ruin everything?”

“He’s not ruining it, he’s making it better. See?” Jirou points to a spot on the form. “Everybody gets new fancy costumes. We get to go in the woods. It’ll be fun!”

“And it won’t be divided by tennis team.” Hiyoshi said quickly. “I’m sure.”

“Uh huh. So whoever brings the most peers, aka fellow tennis players won’t have a distinct advantage or anything. Yeah right.”

“You’re just jealous because you know if Seigaku’s a party they’ll lose for sure.” Kirihara said.  
“What?” Momo demanded. Ootori stepped between them gingerly. “Guys, let’s not fight, we always make it about tennis teams…”

“And that’s exactly what Atobe wants!” said Momo. “Well, if that’s his game, I’m gonna get Mamushi and Echizen in for sure. I’ll tell them it’s tennis camp.”

“You’re gonna lie to them? They can read you know.” Kamio said.

“I’ll figure something out.” Momo said, stomping off. Ootori sighed. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to let Atobe in on this, Hiyoshi.” 

Hiyoshi grimaced. “It’s fine. We can always tie him to a tree and leave him out in the woods or something.” 

The others looked at him in horror.

“Like you wouldn’t.” He mumbled. 

-

Kirihara didn’t like to get up at the ass crack of dawn, but for larp he always would. Somehow he was standing in front of the front gates of Hyotei where a bus had pulled up to the curb. Atobe himself, sunglasses and flowy pajama-like outfit and all was standing next to it. 

“Is this it?” He said, wrinkling his nose. “Is this all of you?”

“I’m surprised you opted for a bus and not a full on fleet of helicopters.” Fuji was amused. Kirihara was surprised to see him there, not taking him for someone who would get involved in this kind of thing. But of course, Yuuta was there, so that ought to explain it. 

In total, there was quite a few of them. More than Kirihara had expected, anyway. He only managed to drag Marui and Jackal along, Marui with the phrase ‘free food’ and Jackal just ‘cause he was worried about him. Typical senpai. 

Momo had managed four of his teammates, and Hiyoshi had a good handful, not including Atobe, who stood glaring at them all as if they were small and ugly things he found on the bottom of his shoe. 

There was a good number of them, enough to fill the bus at least. Atobe ushered them onboard without any fanfare. Kirihara sat down in the seat in front of his senpai, and was soon joined by the kid from Seigaku. The rookie. 

“Surprised you’d even want to come to this. It’s not a tennis camp, you know.”

“Wait, what?” Echizen said as the others around him laughed. 

“We’re going to be larping. Live action role-playing? You do what that is, don’t you?” Kirihara passed him over a character sheet from the ones that were going around. He was excited about the prospect of creating a whole new character. Being a knight was fun, but he wanted something with a little more panache. 

“Uh. Let me off this bus. I’m not going if there’s no tennis.” He had already stood up and climbed over Kirihara, but the bus had started moving so he just tripped.

“Sit down, Echizen, before you hurt yourself.” Atobe commanded from the front. He was wearing those sunglasses which hid his eyes and had a seat all to himself. 

“Is now a bad time to tell you guys I get super carsick?” Spoke up Momo. Everyone told him to shut up. Echizen sat back down, in the aisle seat this time, and sulked. 

“It’s a lot of fun.” Kirihara assured him. “Swinging a sword is kind of like swinging a racquet.” Echizen just rolled his eyes. “I don’t have time for your kid stuff.”

“Ok, you’re like a kid too I’m pretty sure. Aren’t you 12?” Echizen ignored him.

The trip to the camp was long and uneventful except for when Atobe stood up and demanded to know which one of you troglodytes brought a live frog on the bus. There was some screaming, mostly from the area of the bus Hyotei was sequestered at, some scuffling, and some demanding interrogation. After which the bus screeched to a halt at the side of the dirt road for some time until it could be determined that the frog, was, in fact, off the bus. Nobody would fess up to the crime of keeping the thing in their pockets, but he figured whoever it was would be known as Frog Boy forevermore, so he kept his mouth shut.

The rest of the trip passed in relative ease until they came upon the campground, which wasn’t more than a handful of cabins perched on top of a hill, but it was more than a lot of them expected. “I’m glad it’s not like a cave or something.” Kamio said. Shinji blinked. “Why would Atobe-san make us stay in a cave? He’s rich, isn’t he? Rich people always have places like this waiting for them. In fact, I thought it would be much bigger. Like a mansion, even. I guess Hyotei isn’t as well off as they’d have you believe-”

“This is kind of roughing it, isn’t it?” Mizuki interrupted excitedly. “I claim a cabin in the name of St. Rudolph.”

“There’s only two of you, and four beds to a cabin, you’ll have to share.” Said Atobe irritably, still frazzled over the frog situation. He didn’t mention that of course he wouldn’t have to, he would do just fine in the head counselors cabin. 

The bus came to a stop, letting out a hiss of machinery as it settled and the doors opened. They thanked the bus driver as they piled out, overnight bags well in hand. 

They began to pick and choose cabins, and more than a few fistfights threatened to break out over the arrangements. In the end, the rooms were thus:

Cabin 1: Momoshiro, Taka-san, Echizen, and Kaidou

Cabin 2: Gakuto, Jirou, Oshitari, Hiyoshi

Cabin 3: Shishido, Choutarou, Zaizen, Kenya

Cabin 4: Akaya, Jackal, Marui

Cabin 5: Kamio, Shinji, Yuuta, Mizuki

Cabin 6: Fuji, Chitose, Kabaji

Cabin 7: Atobe

It was getting on evening when they had settled in, so they all went to the larger main cabin to eat. They were surprised to find a fully stocked kitchen, but no adults to cook for them. Atobe had disappeared sometime after the room arrangements were settled. 

“We’ll have to do it ourselves, I expect.” Fuji said, rolling up his sleeves. “If only Inui was here to make juice for us all.”

“Thank goodness he’s not! Actually, I’m surprised he didn’t want to come.” Taka-san said. “Seems like he’d be all over this.”

“Said he had to go to uh, math camp.” Momo replied, still not sure if math camp was a real thing or Inui had made it up as an excuse. You never could tell with Inui-senpai.

Together, with Taka-san, Fuji, Mizuki, and a few others lending help where they felt it was needed, they had something of a meal. It was simple, just grilled cheeses with veggies on the side, but something about being out in nature made it taste that much better. 

“There’s really no adults around to supervise? Isn’t that irresponsible? Unsafe? Illegal?” Jackal wondered.

“Don’t get your bald little head in a fuss over it.” Atobe, appearing seemingly out of the ether, sunglasses still fixed firmly in place. “I trust you all haven’t burned down the cabin yet? Good, good. Then it seems my faith wasn’t misplaced. We’ll do just fine out here. No chaperones are required. They’d only get in the way, anyhow.”

“So fess up. Isn’t this camp just an elaborate form of torture you’ve devised for us all?” Yuuta said suspiciously. 

“Why on earth would you think that? It’s just good, clean fun.” Atobe threw his arms out wide, surveying the landscape through the wide windows. “We are here in the freedom of nature, as is our right as young men, and we here to play freely at being wizards and knights and whatever else your little hearts desire. This is an experience unlike any other, and I am offering it to you free of charge.”

“Hmm. You must have some ulterior motive.” Fuji said, his eyes partially open.

Atobe glared at him, and looked away. “Look, don’t concern yourself with my motives, just worry about how you’re going to win this week.”

“Win? There’s winners and losers?” Echizen asked, now more interested.

“Indeed! We will select team captains, three teams total, and they will pick their lineup, and we will form kingdoms based on that. The only rule is you cannot select people from your own tennis team twice in a row. Now, who would like to volunteer as captain?”

“Aren’t you one of the captains?” Marui asked, eyebrow raised.

“No, I’m the Gamemaster.” Atobe said impatiently. “Who will be captain?”

“I’ll be Captain.” Hiyoshi said bravely, drawing himself up. “Since I have the most experience with larp, I think it’s only fair. And the other two should also be experienced larpers.”

“I’ll be Captain too.” Kirihara said eagerly at the same time Momo said “Ooh, me, me!”

“No offense, but those two as captains? Recipe for disaster, if you ask me. And who says these third years will listen to a bunch of second years bossing them around? Unlikely, that’s what I say. You’d be better off with a dog as captain.” Shinji mumbled. Kamio shoved him lightly. “Can I be captain?”

“I’ll be captain.” Spoke up Mizuki. He had a huge grin on his face that was deeply unsettling.

“Do you even know anything about larp, Mizuki?” Momo asked.

“I read up on it before I got here.” He said, twirling a lock of hair between his fingers. 

“Mizuki is captain.” Atobe declared. There was a rise of protest around the room. “No, shut up, it can’t be just second years - Ok, Hiyoshi is captain, and Kirihara is the third captain.”

There was more protest at this, voices going “What gives you the right?” and “Nepotism!” (Kenya didn’t quite know what this meant, but it sounded right) But Atobe put one hand up and waited. Everyone fell silent and stared.

“Now, look, it doesn’t matter who’s captain really, it’s mostly for show.”

“I pick Yuuta.” Mizuki said instantly.

“Great.” Atobe said, pressing at his temples. Thus began the great shifting of the kingdoms, or the three great teams. Feelings were hurt, friendships were frayed, everyone had a grudge against someone else going in. Just like Atobe wanted it. When the dust had settled, the teams were as follows:

Mizuki’s Team, the Crimson Crawlers: Yuuta, Kaidou, Oshitari, Chitose, Shinji, Echizen, Kenya

Hiyoshi’s Team, the Thunder Bats: Choutarou, Momo, Gakuto, Jackal, Jirou, Fuji

Kirihara’s Team, the Wild Things: Marui, Zaizen, Kamio, Kabaji, Shishido, Taka-san

Tables were pushed together as the three teams were forced to group up. Some were looking longingly at their friends and tennis team members on opposite teams. All in all, it was a somewhat awkward situation. Atobe was up front, looking at the teams thoughtfully. 

“Now is the time to get to know one another better. Early tomorrow morning we will begin, and those around you will be your allies. Everyone else will be your enemies. If you want to come out on top, you’ll have to utilize teamwork and quick thinking. Get to it, then!” He clapped his hands together and then went off to do who knows what.

The Crimson Crawlers, Mizuki’s team, stared at one another warily. The team name had been Shinji’s idea, although what on earth he was thinking when he came up with it no one could rightly say, but it sounded legit enough. The team was mostly full of serious types, so Kenya was the first to pipe up.

“So, uh. Fancy being on a team with you here, Yuushi.”

“A stroke of luck for us, Kenya. Now we can spend some quality family time.”

“This is an interesting group, to be sure.” Chitose said with a grin.

“So I’ve been put on a team of weirdos after all… Not that I can talk much. But at least I’m far far away from that Fuji fellow… Although having Kamio around would be nice. And look at that, I’ve been put on Echizen’s team. It’s awkward, isn’t it. I hope he doesn’t have hard feelings from the time I almost stabbed his eye out…”

Mizuki cleared his throat. “So, why don’t we get into it. Let’s say our names and a skill we’re bringing to the table.”

“I think we know everybody’s names already, don’t we?” Yuuta said.

“Yes, but it’s the principle of the thing, Yuuta.” Mizuki answered impatiently. He noticed out of the corner of his eye Fuji was hovering at the edge of his team’s table over near their own. “Can I help you?”

“No. Certainly not.” Fuji’s eyes were shut tight, but he had on that dreadful smile that only meant bad things. “I’m just so happy we’re on opposite teams, Yuuta. I hope you’ll make me proud.”

“Aniki, go away.” Yuuta flushed.

“Fuji, your team is over here.” Hiyoshi said impatiently. Fuji’s eyes flashed and he went back over to his own table. His team was the Thunder Bats, cleverly named in a joint effort by Momoshiro and Jirou. They had a less awkward time getting off the ground, being filled with such excitable and sociable personalities. The chatter was near deafening.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say our team is the best.” Momo spoke up.

“I think all the teams are pretty good.” Ootori said nervously, looking over at where Shishido sat at the next table over.

“No, he’s right.” Hiyoshi said. “We’re gonna rock this.” Looking around at the boys gathered at his table, there wasn’t a weak link in sight. Then again, Kirihara’s team was looking pretty good too. His team was the Wild Things, named of course by the illustrious team leader. Said leader was currently sitting at the head of his table, arms folded and nodding his head. 

“This’ll do.” He said.

“What do you mean this’ll do?” Zaizen said, somewhat put out by having to take orders from a jabroni like this. Kamio was put out over not being team leader, and Shishido was just put out in general. It seemed like this team would have a lot of tensions flying around. Good thing Kabaji was there, knitting furiously and providing a calming presence to the group. Taka-san too, seemed ready to diffuse the situation if it got out of hand. 

Atobe returned, clapping his hands together again. “I trust you have all gotten acquainted, or re-acquainted, as the case may be. Tomorrow we will finalize our character sheets, and get underway. Set your alarms for six am!” There were groans at this, hadn’t getting up early once been enough? But with the grumbles fading they made their way back to their cabins, and Atobe once again vanished like a spectre in the night.

“I for one am excited.” Momo told his fellow Seigaku teammates as they bedded down for the night. None of them were on the same team as him, so he was curious how they got on with their teams. 

“Fuji-senpai told me to keep an eye on Mizuki.” Echizen said. “No offense, but this larp stuff seems like way more trouble than it’s worth.”

“It’ll be fine, you’ll see. It’s a lot of fun, as long as you don’t take it too seriously.” 

“With this group? I kinda don’t know if they can do that, Momo.” Taka-san said. Kaidou nodded in agreement, having a hard time seeing most of his fellow tennis players turn off their competitive natures, himself included. He would kick Momoshiro’s ass for sure at this larp thing, even though he was new.

At the all Hyotei cabin, Hiyoshi was poring over his character sheet last minute and helping the others with theirs. Oshitari seemed politely puzzled by most of the process, or he was just pretending to be. Gakuto and Jirou at least seemed honestly interested, if a bit fuzzy on the mathematical aspects. 

“So, I can steal shit right?” Gakuto said.

“Like pickpocket? I suppose, if you can get away with it.” 

“So I can steal someone’s swords.”

“If you manage to steal someone’s swords right out of their hands I’d love to see it, Mukahi-san.” Hiyoshi said duly. Oshitari, looking at his sheet spoke up. “What’s this patron business, anyway?” 

“Oh. You’re a warlock, are you? It’s sort of like a pact you make, with a powerful entity. They give you power in exchange for something you bring them, like souls, or things of that nature.”

“Oh, so like a sugar daddy.” 

Hiyoshi slapped his forehead as the other two cackled. “No. Not like - you know what, sure. Just like that.”

At the half Hyotei, half Shitenhouji cabin, things weren’t quite so illicit. Shishido was being helped by Choutarou with his character sheet, and Zaizen, old hat to this whole business by now, had already crawled under his blankets with his headphones in.

“You sure know a lot about this stuff, Choutarou. I never knew you were so into this.”

Choutarou reddened a bit under his senpai’s scrutiny. “Well, you know. I needed another hobby. Besides tennis. And music, I mean. Those things aren’t like hobbies, really, they can be, you know, stressful - this is just a fun way to let off steam.”

“I see how it could be, yeah.” Shishido nodded. “Thanks for your help with this, by the way.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s really cool that you decided to be a ranger for your first go, they’re quite challenging. It’s very you though, Shishido-san.”

“Aw, you think so?”

Kenya sat across the room on his bed, hands in his chin. “Are you two done? Is it like, over?” Shishido threw a pillow at him.

At the Rikkai-only cabin, Kirihara was full of beans. Jackal and Marui watched him bound up and down with some amusement. “I’m telling you, we are gonna win!”

“Yeah, what’s with you not picking Jackal for your team, huh A-ka-ya?”

Kirihara froze. “Uh. Well…” He began.

“No, I get it, leaving poor Jackal out in the cold to the mercy of Hyotei and all that. S’good. At least you didn’t leave me to get stuck on that team. I might’ve committed seppuku.” Jackal raised an eyebrow at Marui. “Surely it’s not going to be that bad.”

“Oh, you’ll see, Jackal.” Marui said ominously. “You’ll see.”

In the joint Fudomine St. Rudolph cabin, things were looking much less dire. Mizuki was plotting quietly, hair twirled around his finger as usual, and Yuuta was half drifting off asleep. Shinji watched them with immense distrust. “What do you think of your team, Kamio? I’m not so sure about mine.” Mizuki pretended he hadn’t heard him.

“Oh, I dunno, I really don’t know any of them that well. Should be interesting, getting to know them.” He was still mad he wasn’t team leader. If he had been team leader, things would surely be different. After all, he did have several years larp experience. Not that any of those idiots knew it. He settled back into the bunk, shrugging. “Gotta make the best of it, I suppose.”

In the sixth cabin, the odd man out cabin, untold acts were being committed. Well, not really. Fuji was busy tending to a small cactus he had inexplicably brought with him and Chitose was consuming an object of unknown makeup. Kabaji was set in the corner, sewing as he did when the stress began to get to him. He was worried about his team, and the future of everyone’s health and sanity in this literal adventure. Perhaps Atobe had made a mistake with this grand idea after all. He would not voice his concerns though, only observe his bunkmates with a quiet eye. None of the three spoke a word to each other all night, too caught up in their own musings and activities. The next day would be interesting, that’s to say the least.

In the final cabin, the big one just for the head counselor, Atobe was rather peacefully heading to bed. He was confident in a job well done so far and knew that in the morning everything would go off without a hitch. He had nothing to worry about, except maybe someone having another frog or Fuji trying to murder someone in their sleep. So, business as usual. As he settled into the imported egyptian cotton sheets that he had brought with him he didn’t see the red light blinking on overhead in the corner, the watchful eye of some unknown being. He certainly didn’t hear movement outside the cabins, and a great commotion happen somewhere beyond the trees. As far as he knew, all was well and going according to his devious plans. But you know what they say about the best laid plans of rodents and men. And Atobe Keigo was far from thinking of rodents and other beasts. But perhaps he should have, just this once.

The moon went down. The sun came up. And with it, a whole new world had arrived.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! It is my delight to finally present the fantasy AU I've had kicking in my head for a long time now. Loosely inspired by Labyrinth and The 10th Kingdom with some DND love thrown in for flavor. I hope you will enjoy it! And don't worry, the present boys aren't the only ones that will appear, so if your faves aren't there yet, don't lose heart. ;) I hope you will stick with us on this journey of magic and wonder and don't forget, it's always Atobe's fault.


End file.
